Double-acting trunk-closure



B. H. EHWIN.

DOUBLE ACTING TRUNK CLOSURE.

APPLICATION FILED DE (:.8. 1919.

1,354,606.l Patented Oct. 5, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN I-I. ERVJIN, OF IVIISEIAW'AKA, INDIANA,.ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL VENEER PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF MISHAVJAKA, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

DOUBLE-ACTING TRUNK- CLOSURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, 19,20.

T 0 @ZZ ce1/0m t may concern Be it known that I, BENJAMIN H. ERWIN, citizen of the United States, residing at Mishawaka, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Double-Acting Trunk-Closures, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in double acting trunk closures and it more especially appertains to the featurespointed out in the annexedclaims.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a simple means for positively closing and openinia wardrobe trunk; to provide co-actiiig means for holding the drawers' in place when the trunk is closed; to provide an interlocking arrangement which will nxedly retain the locking position of the locking bar and its operating crank through the final closure of the pivoted lock hasp; and that automatically retains the interacting positions ofthe several parts when the trunk is open so as to admit of their proper engagement whenever the trunk sections are brought together preparatory to finally clos-- ing the trunk.

With these and other ends in view I illustrate in the accompanying drawing such instances of adaptation as will show the basic features of the invention without limiting myself to the specific details used for eX- emplication.

Figure 1 is an elevation of a closed trunk.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a closed trunk, in section.

. Fig. v3 is an enlarged section in plan, instancing the inner and outer locking features in connection with means for interlocking` theA several parts.

Fig. 4 is a detached elevation of an inner locking bar with its hooks in its locked position. y

Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation of the closed relation of a hook and the adjacent co-acting parts of the locking bar.

Fig. 6 is also an enlarged elevation of a curved arm for positively sliding the lockin bar endwise, in both directions.

Iig. 7 is an elevation similar to Figz 6 showing a toothed segment coacting with the locking bar to actuate the same whenever the locked casing is rocked on its pivot.

Fig. 8 is a detached elevation showing the front edge of the locking bar and the openings to receive cranks or the teeth of a segment.

In carrying my invention into practice, I place the pivoted lock hasp on the same section of the trunk on which the permanently attached hooks are located, instead of the opposite section as has been the practice heretofore, in order to take advantage of an interlockingv provision which is brought into action when the hinged portion of the lock hasp is lastly pressed into itslocking position.

The two trunk sections, a garment portion 1 and a drawer portion 2 are hinged together at 3. Section 2 is supplied with drawers t. These are held in place when the trunk is closed by means of a vertical stop 31 located near the hinge and the angle portion 1'? of the locking bar 16 placed at the opposite side of the trunk. These members engage the front side of the drawers and prevent them sliding toward the garment side when the trunk is in transit.

The sliding bar 16 is placed on the inside of the trunk on the opposite section to that on which the lock hasp 5 is pivoted. It has openings 23 in which one end of the retaining clips 22 is placed. These clips are-,Oifset the thickness of the bar 16 and theyare fastened to the side of the trunk permitting the bar 16 to slide up and down under them. The two halves of the trunk are guided into engagement with each other by the external dowels 30 of usual forni.

As the trunk sections are brought together the lock-hasp will be found in the dotted line position of Fig. 1 with the'means 13 for actuating the locking har 16 also in ya dependent position. The bar 16 is also in its lower position. As these parts are held in Vvposition for; immediate engagement by gravity they are always ready for instantaneous use without any preliminary vmanipulation whatever.

The lock hasp 5 at itsend 7 is attached to a square-shouldered pin 8 which passes ythrough an external plate 11 andan vinternal plate 12. Beyond this the pin ,8 is again squared to receive either the curved crank 13, interlocking arm 15 and the toothed segment 18. As the lock-hasp is movedthe parts 13, 15 and 18 move with it. In so doing the crank l13 enters the hole 20 and thus the bar is raised at the same time 3 1n the position showin in Figsf and 6 the that the lock hasp is raised.

When a toothed segment of crank 13 the teeth ot the segment enter holes 19 formed in the angle portionvo't bar 16, see Fig. 8. The plate 18 carries an interlocking arm 15 which also enters a hole 20. 1ty is provided with an elongated hole 14 the same as curved lcrank 13 in'order to accommodate the interlocking' pin 10 which is lsecured to the portion oit the lock-hasp hinged at 6. I

The pin 10-passes through elongated hole 32 of the trunk walls, the slot 21 of bar 16 into hole 20 ofthe part 13 or part 15, thus interlocking the bar 16 and its actuating member, irelieving the pivot pin 8 of unnecessary strains and also assistingY the straightportion 27 orn the hooks 26 to hold the sections positivelyV closed.

bar 16 is in its upper or locked position. As this bar moves upward the straight shoulders 24 engage the beveled faces 25 of thev'stationary hooks 26 ,and thus positively draw the arts 1 and 2 together as shown in Fig. 5. reverse movement of the bar `16 will cause theinclinesi29 to engage the bevels 28 othooks 26 and also positively open the trunk as the lock-casing is moved downward. 1 i

i If the locking action is desired by moving the lock hasp downward then the hooks 26 and accompanying parts must be inverted, in which case the lock liasp must first stand vertical wheneverV the trunk is to be closed. It is immaterial whether the pin 10 be located where shown. It can just as well project from'the center ot the lock portion of the hasp 5 in which event' the slot 32 would not be required but the parts 13 and15 would need to be lengthened and a side'projection placed on bar 16 t'o reach to one side far enough to be engaged by in 10.

The parts are simple andl e ective in service and the Vfeature ot positively opening a trunk as well as other related parts are claimed in.: their broadest sensek regardless vof the speciiic details that are used to carry out the novel features in actual practice.

What I' claim is,r 1. 'A trunk having two sections hinged together, of locking means therefor comprisingV a locking-haspI rotatably mounted on one of said sections, lixed locking means on the same section, an endwise movable bar slid'able on the other section, locking means on said bar, said means beingy an integral part oi"- said bar and adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with said fixed locking means, and other means connecting said bar with said locking-hasp when the sections are swung together to impart Yt0 said bar positive endwise movement in either is used instead direction when said locking-hasp is turned into and out of its locking position to thereby positively'open and positively close the trunk. 1 Y

2. In a trunk having two sections hinged together, of locking means therefor comprising a locking-hasp rotatably mounted on one of said sections, fixed locking-means on the same section, an endwise movable bar on the other section adapted to engage the iixed locking means, and means for connecting said bar with said locking-hasp when the trunk sections are nominally closed so as to impart an endwise movement to said bar when the lock-hasp is turned to thereby positively draw the sections together in fully closing the trunk and to likewise positively force the sections apart when the trunk is being opened.

3. In trunks, two hinged-together sections, a garment compartmentin one section, a series of drawers placed in the other section, a combined `stop and a locking bar supported on the garment section the same Vbeing adapted tohold the drawers in place when the two sections are secured to each other, and means comprising a pivoted locking hasp supported by the drawer section adapted to co-act with said bar to positively torce the sections apart and also to positively draw them together.

4L. ln trunks, two sections hinged together, drawers in one section and locking means attached to the other section, adapted when the sections are brought together to hold the drawers in place when the sections are locked to each other.

5. 1n trunks, two sections hinged together, means within the trunk ior locking the sections to each other, means external of the trunk comprising a key operated lock adapted to operate thev internal locking means so as to both open and close the trunk, and a coacting member passingthrough the trunk body when the key operated lock is means to'each other simultaneously through the external locking of the trunk.

7. A trunk comprising two hinged. together sections,*`ved locking members on one of said sections, an endwise movable bar, locking means on said bar, said locking means being provided with inclined parts adapted to positively force the sections apart as the bar is moved in one direction, double inclined parts on the fixed locking members, one of said parts adapted to co-act with a non-incline of the locking bar to positively draw the trunk sections to each other, and the other part coacting with the incline on the bar to separate the sections on opening the trunk.

8. In trunks, two sections hinged together, an outside locking-hasp pivoted to one of the sections with its tree end extending over the other' section when the edges of said sections are adjacent each other, internal locking means for opening and closing the trunk actuated by the outside hasp said means also extending over the other section, and means on the locking hasp adapted to pass through the other section and positively engage the inner means so as to interlock the parts to each other independently of the opening and closing of the trunk sections.

9. ln trunks, two sections hinged together, means within the trunk to open, close and lock the sections; a two part pivoted and hinged locking hasp, having a projection on the hinged part, said hasp being placed'on the outside of one of the sections and being adapted to actuate the inner means when the hasp is moved on its pivot, and additionally and independently through an opening in the other section interlock the projection of the hinged part of the hasp with the inner means when such hinged part is moved to externally lock the trunk.

l0. In trunks, two sections hinged together, drawers in one section, internal means for opening, closing and locking the trunk, drawer retaining means coordinated with and actuated by the internal means for holding the drawers in place when the trunk is closed, and external means comprising a key controlled member for actuating said internal means as desired.

ll. In trunks, two sections hinged to each other, a two-part locking-hasp pivoted on the outside of one section, interconnected actuating means on the inside of the same section, a flanged locking bar on the inside of the other section, inside members on the `first section adapted to engage the said bar when the two sections are moved into the closing position, and interlocking means carried by the hasp adapted to positively engage the bar and the internal actuating means when the hasp is moved into its locking position.

l2. In trunks, two sections hinged together, a locking-hasp pivoted on the outside of one section, a locking recess for the tree end of the hasp on the other section; actuatingmeans` on the inside of the same section to which the hasp is pivoted, in operative relation to the hasp; suitable catches on the same section, a ilanged locking bar on the other section adapted to cooperate with said catches, whenever said bar is moved in either direction by the actuating means, when the free edges of the trunk sections are in near relation to each other and also when tney are in engagement, as the hasp is moved on its pivot. i

In testimony whereof I atliX my signature.

BENJAMIN H. ERVIN. 

